A member of the House of Representative who formerly belonged to Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Rep. Johnson Agbonayinma, has explained why he dumped the group and joined Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction.
He said that the level of impunity and disregard for rule of law exhibited by members of the Makarfi’s faction forced him to jump ship.
Agbonayinma disclosed this while addressing the media in Abuja.
He described the Makarfi group as illegal, stressing that the party’s constitution made no room for a National Caretaker Committee, hence the mere existence the group was against the law.
The lawmaker said that Ali Modu Sheriff was not only selected by PDP leaders to steer the affairs of the party but was also democratically elected as national chairman. Therefore, deserves the support, allegiance, and co-operation of all well-meaning members of the party.
He accused and chided the spokesperson of the Makarfi group, Dayo Adeyeye for branding Ali Modu Sheriff ,the leader of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents.
Recall that Dayo Adeyeye had earlier refuted the accusations saying that he did not make any wrong accusation against Ali Modu Sheriff as a Boko Haram member in any capacity; but, that he may have opposed Sheriff’s stand as the leader of the party and only criticized him based on that.
Agbonayinma further pointed out that if (for any reason) the Supreme Court rules on the leadership crisis of the PDP, and affirms Makarfi as the leader of the party, he will have no choice but to abide by the judgement and acknowledge Makarfi.
He said: “Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has said over and over again; that, we must give the party back to the people. When we say “PDP, Power to the People”; let’s give this power back to the people. That is what Ali Modu Sheriff is fighting for, and that is the reason why I decided to join him. I was formerly on the side of
Senator Ahmed Makarfi. He is a leader I respect and love. There are also many other leaders in his group that I also respect and love but we must look at the real issue. We must look at the law and say: “Look, in this country, nobody is above the law.
“When you read through the pages of the PDP constitution, you will see there’s no room for caretaker committee. That can never stand. That is impunity, and that is what we are fighting against. That is what Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is fighting against. Let’s give the party back to the people.
“But I still respect our party leaders who are saying things that can bring us together again, because a house divided against itself can never stand. I am again saying with all due respect and love for my brother Barrister Dayo Adeyeye do not try to give a bad name to somebody for the sake of it especially someone who has worked over the years to build his political career to smear him and to say all kind of negative things just to paint him back whereas, he is not.
“So, saying that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is a Boko Haram Leader. Look, for God’s sake, Sheriff is a man that lost some of his close relatives and friends died due to the insurgency, and to give him such a black name is a very sad thing to do.
“Ali Modu Sheriff is the only man across the nation who left over N67 billion in the state treasury when he left the governor’s seat in Borno state. If politicians in the PDP knew he was behind Boko Haram, why did they ever go to him to ask him to come and bring PDP back to where it ought to be.
“If they knew he was not qualified, there were no reasons why some PDP governors, senators and party leaders will go to him and lobby him to lead the party. Not only was he selected, he was elected. He got the highest number of votes in the National Chairmanship election.
“Whatever judgement that prevails in the Supreme Court, I will stand by it. I believe Ali Modu Sheriff will also stand by it, because nobody is above the law.”
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